In Type-Moon, it all starts with adopting Sakura.

Feeling the excruciating pain in his body, he glanced at the bandage on his chest and recalled his experience a few days ago. Tokiomi Tohsaka's feelings were extremely complicated at this moment.

First, he was abandoned by Gilgamesh, the Servant he summoned, then he was betrayed by his most trusted disciple, and even... the person who saved him in the end was none other than Kariya Matou, whom he despised the most.

For Tokiomi Tohsaka, this blow was worse than killing him.

Not only did he lose his qualification for the Holy Grail War, but he was also betrayed by the person he trusted, and finally saved by the person he despised... Even on his deathbed, he entrusted his wife and daughter to the other person's care.

This experience left him with extremely complex feelings. His once proud and elegant heart seemed to have suffered some kind of ultimate insult, and for a moment he didn't know how to face himself or Matou Kariya again.

"..."

He woke up early in the morning and gradually recalled that vague memory, but because he was unwilling to face the cruel reality, he kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep until Matou Kariya left, at which point he got out of bed.

He recalled that night when Matou Kariya carried him and ran wildly through the streets to find a doctor for him, and he also thought of the words the other person had said to him before he died.

So it was because of Aoi...

I promised to give Aoi happiness...

Tokiomi Tohsaka closed his eyes, and then memories of the past flooded his mind.

He vaguely remembered that when he was competing with Matou Kariya, one night, Kariya, dressed in a disheveled state, ran into his house and punched him hard, saying some inexplicable things.

And after that day, Matou Kariya completely disappeared.

He had completely forgotten about it and had always considered him a coward and a weakling. But after experiencing a life-or-death ordeal, that experience, deeply buried in his heart, couldn't help but resurface.

That night, he roared at himself, "Tokiomi Tohsaka, I'm willing to withdraw from this battle. If you truly love Aoi, then go and make her happy! If you fail to do so and cause her to shed tears in the future, I will return anytime, anywhere to teach you a lesson and beat you to a pulp!!"

Matou Kariya's roar echoed incessantly in my ears.

I see...

Oh, I see...

Suddenly, Tokiomi Tohsaka understood everything. He finally knew why Kariya Matou had returned; it was because of this.

He stared blankly at the sunflower blooming in the sunlight by the window, then fell silent, lost in thought.

If it were at the beginning, facing Kariya Matou's questioning, he could certainly have nonchalantly said that he had done nothing wrong, but now...

is it wrong?

Was I really wrong?

Perhaps... it really was a mistake...

Perhaps he shouldn't have asked for help; dying in betrayal and flames would have been the best end for him.

'Should I...die now?'

Tokiomi Tohsaka murmured softly, questioning himself. But he quickly dismissed the sudden thought.

Perhaps he truly deserved to die. Having gone through such a thing, he should have no face to live on and no idea how to face Matou Kariya.

But he absolutely shouldn't die now. He hasn't given his wife and daughter happiness yet. He has more important things to do!

Tokiomi Tohsaka turned around and grabbed the mercury sword that was placed in front of the bed. It was the murder weapon that had been stuck in his chest until recently, when Kariya Matou removed it and almost killed him.

This is a gift from my father, and also a gift from me to Kirei Kotomine...

Upon seeing this, the gloomy feeling of confusion vanished, and Tokiomi Tohsaka now knew what he should do.

"Kirei, Gilgamesh...you just wait and see."

He gripped the short sword tightly in his hand, and then his expression unconsciously turned somewhat ferocious.

……

Not long after...

Matou Kariya, carrying fruit back, stared blankly at the empty hospital bed in front of him.

"...Tokiomi Tohsaka?"

※※※※※※※

……

……

My computer keyboard is broken, so I'm typing on my phone, which is why updates are a bit slow.

However, stability was still maintained.

I am so hard...

Ugh.

However, I still managed to make my point clear.

There are various explanations for the story of the old bug defeating Kirei Kotomine and the comeback of Tokiomi.

Chapter 71: Clash of Heroic Swordsmen (5k words)

—You're just learning how to say goodbye to the past.

……

……

The scene then returns to the Einzbern family's residence.

The sword shimmered with layers of magic, its blade, enchanted by azure wind blades, dragged along the muddy road, producing a clanging sound that sent dazzling sparks flying. The blade left a deep gash on the rough stone pavement where it had passed.

A black-haired man, holding a golden sword in one hand and a white magic wand in the other, slowly emerged from the shadows cast by the castle and appeared alone in the quiet, bright moonlight of the courtyard.

At this moment, a faint light flickered in his pupils, and as his magical power rippled around him, different colored lights continuously emanated from him.

"What exactly is this...?"

Clearly noticing the change in Lovi, Artoria, standing opposite him, couldn't help but frown slightly.

Before she could say anything more, the young man in front of her took steady steps and, with the help of magic, swung his first sword at the invincible King of Knights in front of him at top speed.

—Clang!

Amidst a shower of sparks and deafening roars, the battle between knights erupted completely.

Although one of the duelists wasn't a knight at all.

"Ok?"

After a brief exchange, the humanoid red dragon in front of them gained an absolute advantage.

At this moment, Artoria gripped the Star Sword tightly in her hand, steadily blocking the attack of the Sword in the Stone in mid-air. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her emerald eyes were fixed on the young man who was now close at hand. She then looked at the golden sword that was so familiar and so close at hand, and asked a question.

"...So it really is the Sword in the Stone?"

"Otherwise what? Surely the King of Knights of Britain couldn't possibly not even remember what his first holy sword looked like?" Rowe raised an eyebrow at her and asked in return.

"Do you still remember yourself in your earliest days, King Arthur?"

Seeing the golden sword firmly held in mid-air, Luo Wei wasn't particularly surprised by this situation.

After all, the opponent was a Heroic Spirit, while he was just a human. It was wrong to engage in close combat with him. Even with the enhancement of runes, he only gained some ability to resist. In all aspects, he was still crushed by the humanoid red dragon. Not to mention that he was facing the knight among knights, standing at the very top, the King of Knights.

To think that one could contend with or even defeat such a person with the meager sword skills forcibly instilled in him was nothing short of a pipe dream.

“Mr. Lowe…”

A hint of helplessness flickered in her emerald eyes. Artoria gripped the hilt of her sword tightly with both hands, using her holy sword to suppress the golden sword in his hand. She spoke softly, "Let's stop here. Although we are enemies now, I don't know where the sword in the stone in your hand came from."

Although their positions were diametrically opposed during the battle, Artoria still didn't deliver the fatal blow. Instead, her words carried a hint of admonition, "But I can guess that you must have a very close connection with the Knights of the Round Table, or rather, with someone from the past Britain. Although I don't know what Merlin wants you for, I still advise you to give up, considering the letter. You are no match for me, and this is my choice. You don't need to risk your life for such a thing. Step back and let Queen Scáthach fight me."

"What if I refuse?"

Lovi did not heed Artoria's advice. Instead, he answered the question with a smile and increased the magic power he had infused into the golden sword, making the golden light shine even brighter.

Sensing the indomitable will conveyed by Luo Wei's sword, a hint of helplessness flashed in her emerald green eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

"Since you've come to advise me, you should understand that I will not show mercy just because you have any connection with Merlin or one of my knights."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stopped arguing with Luo Wei and suddenly increased the force and magic of her sword, sending him flying back more than ten meters.

Then, Artoria glanced at Scáthach, who was sitting leisurely on the castle steps watching the show, frowned slightly, and said nothing.

"Oh, so you still don't consider me a real opponent? Am I being underestimated?"

Hearing this, and realizing that Artoria never took him seriously and treated him as an enemy, Luo Wei scratched his head in slight distress.

"This is not underestimating them, but rather..."

"Instead, I'm offering advice, aren't I? Just like the advice I'm about to offer you. Heh, you're so arrogant, and so clueless about romance, Saber."

Luo Wei deflected his sword, mimicking the way he remembered it, and performed a sword flourish in mid-air, resuming his fighting stance.

“Since I’ve come all this way specifically to find you, and since I’ve already promised that scumbag I’d help you, then I should naturally do my best to fulfill our promise. If I back down without even trying, that would be too shameful. Besides…”

Lovi gazed into Artoria's emerald-like eyes and said calmly,

"It's not just because of that inhuman agreement, nor is it just for you, you foolish sleeping beauty; it's simply from the bottom of my heart. Saber, at this moment, my heart also longs to fight a Heroic Spirit like you, to personally experience the power of a hero of the Age of Gods, to understand my own weakness and position, so that I can rehearse what I'm about to do."

"For this, you're even willing to risk your life to do this rehearsal?!"

Upon hearing Luo Wei's answer, Artoria's eyes widened, clearly unable to comprehend his thought process in choosing to risk his life.

"What do you think? Think about it. In a quiet, deserted ancient castle, two swordsmen meet at the same time. Although it lacks the atmosphere of a duel, wouldn't it be a shame not to have a proper duel between swordsmen? What's that phrase again..."

"Oh, right, Heroic Swordsman, now you are the Heroic Swordsman, Saber Artoria, and I am your challenger. Just remember that, and seriously consider me your enemy. So..."

"Challenger Rowe Crowley hereby reports!!"

As Luo Wei half-jokingly spoke to her, the golden sword in his hand suddenly shimmered with a dazzling golden light as he continuously infused it with magic. In an instant, the golden radiance intertwined with the bright moonlight, reflecting a chilling glint in the night sky.

"If I could, I would prefer to fight at Ryudou-ji Temple rather than at Einzbern Castle. It would feel more like a duel there."

Even at this moment, Lo Wei still had the mood to make another joke with her.

"……I see."

"Artoria Pendragon, Queen of Britain, is here to meet you."

So……

Challenger: Rowe Crowley, an ordinary magician.